Gas measuring and dispensing apparatus



Nov. 1, 1938. R. B. EvERsoN GAS MEASURING AND DISPENSING APPARATUSoriginal Filed oct. 11, v1954 www; laLrz/erom A3o. through the means.

Patented Nov. 1,l 1938- PATENT. OFFICE 1 GAS MEASURING AND. DISPENSING'APPA- BATUS vltoy Blair Everson, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 11, 1934, Serial No. 747,815

Renewed June 18, 1937 8 .Claims- (Cl. 73-194') Thisinvention relates toan improvement in' an apparatus for dispensing chlorine 4or othercommercially used gases.

It is an object of the present invention to pro- 5 vide a means wherebychlorine or other gases may be delivered in measured vquantitiesfor'liquid absorption.

It is another object oi' thel present invention to provide a means 'for'deliveringa measured quantity loi! 'chlorine or other commercially usedgases-in a continuous metered ilow.

It is another object of the present invention to J provide a means fordelivering gases for absorption capable of being operated in eitherdirection, namely, capable of permitting a 'ow of'gas from oneset ofopenings r ports. through the device to another set yolf 'openings orports, or

conversely, for permitting ilow from the last-` named set of openingsor'ports through the de- 20- vice to the rst-named openings or ports.

It is another object of thepp'resent invention toA provide means fordelivering gases to be used absorptively in measured quantities,permitting' bi-lateral operation, and yet preventing a return 25 ofabsorbing liquid through the device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means fordelivering a measured supply of absorbable .gas in such a manner as topre-A vent any drawing back ci the absorbing-liquid Other objects andadvantages will become apparent from the following specication.

A In theaccompanying drawing is shown a preferred embodiment of thisinvention, as follows: 3,5,v Fig. 1 is a perspective viewof a preferredformV or the apparatus. A

Fig. 2 is a cross-section of a preferred form of the apparatus shown inFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the metering .40 or bubbler device.

Fig.v 4 is a cross-sectional view of the control chamber of thepreferred embodimentV shown in Fig. l, showing .the levels of liquid inthe. device under 'normal non-operating conditions. y

Fig. 51s al cross-section of the chamber showing levels of the liquidtherein at one .period of the operatingcycle.

'Ihe preferred embodiment oi' this invention shown in the drawingcomprises three Aopenended glass cylinders 9, II and I2, mounted be'tween two preferably chemically inert blocks I6 and Il, each of saidblocks-having" three corre-.

sponding circular recesses such as shown at 24 into .which the glasscylinders fit as shown, said 55;' recessesbeing fitted with soft rubberring washers same level, (called level A in Fig. 4).

.22, the block Is being drawn towardtne block Vla by means o! thethreadedv rods Ill passing between the said blocks and iitted preferablywith wing nuts. The top. block I 6 is provided with interior passagewaysor ducts preferably as shown 5 in Fig. 2 at I5 and I3, correspondingopposite *A ends being also preferably threaded to receive the entranceconduit or tube 6 and the exit or 'outlet tube 8. Block I6 is alsoprovided -with a centrally located clean-out plug Il preferablylolocatedas shown in Fig. 2, to allow for direct communication with thevertical passageway of duct I9, which communicates through tube 32 tothe bubbler device 34. The block I 8 is provided with three preferablysymmetrically ar l5 ranged clean-out plugs". It should be 'ngted thatthe cubic contents ofthe member 36 should be substantially greater thanthe volume of sealing liquid in thel outer chamber. h

In operation, gas enters through the tube 6 20 into passageway I5, owingthrough the downwardly extending openings I1 and I! in the block at thetop of the glass cylinder 9, filling the glass cylinder 9, and at thesame time lling the bub bler or metering .device 34. 'Ihe middleglass'zli cylinder II is lled with a liquid. If the pressure on 'theinside of the "bubbler mechanisml and the pressure on the outside of thebubbler mechanism within the cylinder II are equalbefore the gas isturned on through tube 6, the liquid '30 inside and outside the "bubblerwill be at the When the gas -enters the bubbler, the pressure -of theincoming gas forces the liquid down through the bubbler, and out intothe cylinder II through the two downwardly extending 'tubes 31 and Il,

which form the lower portion of the bubbler.

' At this stage in the operation the liquid isilowing out of the bubblerthrough'the opening 4I in the vertical tube 31, and at the same timeflowing 40 out through the U-tube III. As soon as the level of theliquid .in the U-tube has reached the lower I extremity of the arm 39-ofthe U-tube Il, the counter-balancing pressure exerted bythe liquidthrough the upwardly extendingarm II of the U-tube- In. becomesinefrectivepto prevent the eiiiux of the gas from the bubblerfmechanism.

'Meanwhile, the level ofthe liquid moving down' in the vertical tube'31hasreached a point par-1 allel with the level of the bottom of the-U-tube 40. This level is indicated in 3 as' level D. At this point, theback pressure of the liquid, having been rendered ineffective as abovedescribed.

the gas iiows freely out throughthe downwardly extending arm 39 oftheU-tube 4l andwbubbl-l- 2 l a,1ss,soa

up through the upward extendingarm 4l of the U-tube Il through theliquid in the cylinder Iiy to the free space 3l above the liquid levelin the cylinder ii, and thence out through the vertical 5 passage Ilinto the horizontal tube il into the duct or tube l, and thence to theplace of use. At the same time,'this outilowing gas enters the cylinderI2 through the passage Il, filling it with su. l0 For purposes ofdescribing the operation of the v bubbler in the central chamber il, itmay be con-v l lvenient to refer to certain levels as levels A, B. C, Dand O respectively, as shown in the drawing in Figures 3, 4 and 5respectively. For purposes of more specic description in thisspecification, it should be pointed out that level A represents the4normal level of the sealing liquid in the bubbier vmeter when thepressures on the chamber Il and the pressures in the chamber Il areequal. Level B and level O are arbitrary intermediate levels when thepressures in the.chambers 3l and II respectively are diiferent, level Bbeing the level in the chamber ll under such conditions and level Obeing the level in chamber IO under such conditions. Level C` is -thelevel at the exterior mouth of the U-tube Il. Level D is the level atthe upper portion of the bend in the U-tube, level D obviously beingbelow level .C.

The bubbler in the central chamber ii operates in the aboveldescribedmanner4 by taking advantage of diilerences in hydraulicpressure as followsz lAssoonasthe incoming gasbyreasonofits pressurebegins to force the-level ofthe liquid inside of the "bubbler downwardlyfrom level A, there is a liquid back-pressure exerted against thedownward impulse of the gas equal to the Y difference between the levelof the liquid inside the bubbler and the level outside the bubbler.

, 4 0 Thus, in overcoming this hydraulic back-pressure, the gas insidethe bubbler tends to build up an overcoming pressure.l At any instant,of course, the hydrostatic head represented by the diiference betweenlevels of the liquid inside thel .L5 "bubbler and the level of theliquid outside the bubbler'vl is equal and opposite to the' pressure ofthe incoming gas on the inside of the bubbler." As the liquid in the"bubbler moves down into the two tubes 31 and ll, the levels in thesetubes vwill continue to correspond until the level D is At this point.'the nysrttie need which is equilibrating the'pressure of the incoming.gas,- will be,represented by thediiierence be tween the level of theliquid outside the "bubbler" and thelevel of the liquid in the tube l1(which is At this instant. the same cork' dition prevails in the U-tubeIl. Since the gaa.

, now at level D) continues to enter the bubbler, the level'in the utube $1 tends to drop `somewhat. below level D. 00 -but as this occurs',the liquid in the U-'tube passes 'the bend therein and becomes merely? acolumn .'-of liquid in the upwardly extending arm I/iywith p gaspressure supporting it. Ordinarily./giis will 'bubble up througha-iiquidwhen it is bei/leem the 05 iliquid, but in the case of` columnsof liquid in tubes of small diameter. surface tension prevents this,whereby. the gasdiquid boundary line is unbroken. The U-tube .ll is,therefore, a capillary tube. .Thedownwardhydrostatic pressure.

'lo however.. on line is equal to the difl 'ference between the leveloutside the bubbler. 'andthe level of this boundary line in the up,-wardly .extending arm of the arm Ii. Since the boundary line movesrupward as -the gas pressure u' incieues is the "bubbier'v', thishydrostatic presin the whole thereby drives one last bubble of gasoutjofthew;

surein the arm 4i decreases. Thus, for a -few instants of time, thelevel in the tube l1 is held at level D while the liquid in the arm 4Iis being forced upward and out. As soon as the arm Il is emptied, thegas begins to bubble out of the s. mouthll. When this occurs. the gaspressure in the bubbler is released. and becomes less than thehydrostatic pressure in the tube 31 ,iwhereupon the level of the liquidin the tube I1 moves upward again. During this upward course, the' gasl0 pressure at any instant is equal and OPPOite to vthe hydrostatic headexerted upwardly in the 4I. Ordinarily, this equivalent of pressure .atzov the mouth of the arm 4i would set up an equilibrium, and the flow ofgas would stop. There is.'v however, a certain inertia t'o the column ofliquid moving upward in the tube I1, which'driv this l liquid past thelevel C. In passing level C, the gs liquid in tube 31 tends to reducethe freevolumf bubbler" at this instant, and

mouth of the arm 4I. Immediately, the force' of this inertia is expendedand the level of liquid so in the tube l1 tends to drop back tothe levelC, which, of course, under the circumstances prevailing -at thisinstant,v is the hydrostatic normal for that vliquid column. Thisdropping back creates a slight sucking back effect on the volume g4;l

of gas now enclosed in the lbubbler", which tenda to draw back` a veryslight amount of liquid through the mouth of the' armyll. 'As soon asthis occurs. however, the level of liquid at the mouth of the arm dropsinto the arm and conu sequently fallsv below the level `f C. When/thishappens, vthe, hydrostatic pressure over the gasliquid'boundary line inthe arm. Il becomes greater than the hy tatic pressure at the level C,and similarly. becomes greater than"the gas y pressure which as aboveexplained, is always equal and opposite to the hydrostatic pressure inthe vtube I1: Thus, the gas-liquid boundary line rapidly moves downwardthrough the arm Il, rushingl past the bend in the U-tubeand passing uv'.u ward through the arm 8|, iiooding into the lower [portion of'thechamber inthe gas bubbler."

This completes .one bubbling cycle', and immediately the incoming gaspressure gains ascendancy again, andy startsv forcing the liquid in bub-55 bier" downwardly into the tube Il and the U-.tube ll as labovedescribed, repeating the cycle. On each complete; bubbling cycle, ameasured quantity of gas will be delivered, depending upon the size ofthe relative parts of the bubblerJ The .o rapidity with` which thesecycles take place may be varied by varyingthe pressure of the incomingWhen the apparatus is turned of! after use, the gas in the chamberportions of the apparatus g5 will tend to be absorbed in the liquid,whereupon a vacuum will tend to form inside the bubbler mechanism Iinthe space II. This vacuum eilect will draw the liquid up into the"bubbler" mechamim. and ns to dmv the liquid bsex'into the zo' l1 topermit the returning liquid if it returns in the line thi's far, to flowdown into said cylinder 9.

This cylinder 9, however, does not afford complete protection againstthe fbacking-up eiect. In fact, this cylinder 9 is employed inconjunction with cylinder I2 Vas a protection chiefly against adifferent type of backing-up eiect described below. The normalabsorptive backing-up effect now being discussed, is overcome by thedesign of the bubbler mechanism itself. When the level of the liquid inthe cylinder II moves down as the'level of the liquid inside the"bubbler" mechanism moves upward due to the side of the bubblermechanism respectively,

whereupon, the vacuum will break, and the liquid level fall back to thenormal non-operating level A. If, after this breaking occurs, there isany further tendency for gas absorption on the inside of the bubblermechanism, the above described sequence of events will reoccur until asuccessive breaking effect takes place, thus,-

continually preventing any drawing back of the liquid through the ductI9 into the passage I5 endangering the valve or gas supply mechanism.

This reverse operability of the bubbler has a further aspect. 'I'hebubbler can be employed as a metering device in 'this reverse manner byreversing the intake and outletA attachments. Under such circumstances,the iniiowing gas enters the outer chamber 38, bubbles through into 4gas at each pulsation or cycle.

the inner chamber 36, and thence through passage I9. Where thediameterpf the outer .chamber is relatively large with respect to thediameter of the inner chamber, the fbubbler upon reversal will deliver agreatly increased volume of Thus, when so. great a ow of gas is neededthat the.forward operatingfpulsations are too rapid for accuratemetering, the capacity can be increased simply by reversing theoperation of the bubbler. This .feature greatly increases the range andexibility of the metering device itself as w as the whole apparatus withwhich it is being ed.

There is another danger in .the turned-off condition of suchgas-dispensing mechanisms which is also overcome by my invention. 'I'hepipe or duct 8 ordinarily leads to some sort of "condition of theffbubbler" mechanism itseu, j whereupon there is a tendency to suck backthis absorbing liquid through the pipe 8.

this liquid would tend to flood not only the metering apparatus, but abothe gas supply In my invention I have provlded the glass cylinders 9 andI2 on either side of the bubbler mechanism, which cylinders `arenormally filled wlth'gas. This, the vacuinn;vvcrcaiedintbetubelwilldrawonthesupplyofgas in the cylinder I2, creating.thereina slight vacuum, and also creating a slight Avacuum in thepassage I3. 'I'his vacuum effect will therefore reduce the pressure onthe liquid level in the cylinder II outside the bubbler mechanism.

Under such circumstances, the level of the liquidl in the cylinder I Ioutside the bubbler" mechanism will tend to rise, the level inside thebubbler mechanism falling correspondingly, and an mechanism, and alsobeing drawn through the,

duct I9 andthe duct i5, and the opening 88 from the gas-filled chamber,formed by the cylinder 9. Inasmuch as the volume of the cylinder II iscomparatively much smaller than the volume of the absorbing apparatus,the level changes in this cylinder will Vbe much more sen-` sitive andrapid than'the level changes in the absorbing mechanism, wherefore, thisabove described operation will much more readily ensue in preference toany drawing back of the absorbing liquid from the absorber. Furthermore,since this takes place under vacuum impulse, rather than the impulse ofpositive pressure, the action will be comparatively slow, and the gascontained in the reservoir chambers I2. and particularly 9, will bedrawn upon to compensate for the absorption taking place in theabsorbing mechanism andin thel tube '8. Finally, there will tend to beadifference in pressure between the auxiliary chambers 9 and I2 so longas any vacuum continues to be set up in the line v8. This difference inpressure will cause bub-` bling and equalization through the bubbleruntil the gas in bothchambers 9 and I2 is exhausted to a point wherepressure diexences become ineffective. .This equalizing action aids inovercoming any drawing back tendency through the tube 8 from theabsorbing mechanism. The clean-out plugs in the bottom block I8 areprovided to allow for cleaning out of the device, and the plug I 4 inthe top block I6 permits re-i'llling of the central. cylinder II withlthe control liquid.

Variations may be made in the invention without departing from the scopethereof, the foregoing being merely a description of a preferredembodiment. For instance, the volumes and diameters of the various partsmay be changed to alter the capacity or sensitivity of the mechanism.Furthermore, heavier liquids such as oil, or even mercury, may be usedin thecylinder Il, depending upon the chemical activity of the gas used.Where'the device is used .in conjunction with chlorine dispensing andutilizing apparatus for. comparatively low pressure chlorine supplies,water will serve adequately as a control liquid. Where the apparatus isused in conjunction with ammonia, water may be unsatisfactory, due tothe high rate of. absorption of ammonia in water,

wherefore, non-reactive oils may be used. Finally,A if it is necessaryto have high pressures on the supply Vside of the bubbler mechanism, itmay be necessary to employ a relatively heavy liquid in` order to securegrhater hydraulic backpressure eifects for correspondingly smallerdifter- Vences between level Band level C. It it is undesirable, on theother hand, to use such a heavier liquid. the same result may beachieved by'increasing the'length of the cylinder II and similarly thelength of the "bubbler" 34, so that large diameter and mouth beinglocated at a point substantially `be` greater diilerentials in levelbetween level B and level C may be obtained. Changes may. be made in theform, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing fromthe spirit oi the inventlon'or'sacriiicing any of its advantages,v andthe right )is hereby reserved to make all such 'changes as fair-- i lytall within the scope oi' the following claims.

What lsclaimed asnew anddesired tobesecuredbyLettersPate'ntis: l

l. A gas metering apparatus comprising van intake vchamber and aplurality of downwardly extending vertical tubes communicatingtherewith, the respective openings into said vertical-lv tubes all beingsubstantially the same distance from the top of the intake chamber, oneo! said tubes being substantially small in diameter and being bentupwardly. said upwardly bent tube yterminatingv at a point substantiallybelow the opening from the intake chamber into said tube, an-

'communication is allowed-between the outerchamber and the innerchamber, one of said tubes being of vrelatively small diameter, said onetube being bent upwardl'y'to form a U-tube, oneof said openings of saidU-tube communicating with' the outer chamber and being located at adistance below the point at which the inner chamber opens intotheU-tube,- another oi said downwardly extending vertical tubes being ofrelatively having an opened mouth at its lower extremity through whichmouth communication between theinner chamber and the outer chamber. maytake'place, said last named low the bend in the U-tllbe.

3. A gas metering apparatus comprising an outer chamber and an innerchamber, said inner chamber having ldownwardly extending vertical -tubesand bei!!! substantially enclosed within the outer chamber, said innerchamber opening downwardly into said downwardly extending -verticaltubes, said tubes being vopen at their extremities,

said openings being the only openings whereby communication is allowedbetween the outer chamber and the inner chamber, one of said vtubes`being oi relatively small diameter, said one tube beingibent upwardly toform a U-tube, one v oi said openings of said U-tube communicating withthe outer chamber and being located at a distance below the pointat'which the inner chamber opens into the UI-tube, another of said down-'wardlyzextending vertical tubes being of relatively large diameterv andhaving an opened mouth at its" lower. extremity through )which mouthcommunication between the inner chamber and the outer chamber may takeplace, said last named mouth being located at'apoint substantially belowthe bend in the. U-tube, said outer chamber containing a liquid.' saidliquid a normal levielboth vinside and outfade or time inner chamber,saidlevel being substantially above the pointat which the rnner chamberopens into the tubes.

4. A gas metering apparatus comprising outer chamber and an innerchamber, said inner chamber having downwardly extending vertical tubesand being substantially enclosed within the. outer chamber, said innerchamber opening downwardl'yinto said downwardly extending verticaltubes, .said tubes being open at their extremities, said openings beingthe only openings whereby communication is allowed between the .outerdownwardly extending chamber and the inner chamber, one o! said tubesbeing of relativelyjsmall diameter, said one-tube being bent upwardly toform a U-tube, one oi said openings of said U-tube communicating withthe outer chamber and being'located at a distance below the point atwhich the inner chamber opens.

into the U-tube, another oi said downwardly extending vertical tubesbeing of relatively large diameter and having an opened mouth at itslower extremity through which mouth Vcommunication between the'innel.chamber and the outer.

chamber may take place, said last named mouth being located at a pointsubstantially below the bend in the- U-tube, said outer chambercontaining a liquid, said liquid maintaining a normal level both insideand outside of the inner chamber, said level being substantially abovethe point 'atwhichthe inner chamber opens into-the downwardly extendingtubes, said inner' chamber taken together with its tubes having' a.volume substantially greater than the volume of liquid containedvwithin the apparatus. 1

5. A gas .metering device 'comprising a reservoir, said reservoir beingpartially filled with li uid, means .forming a gas-tight chamber withinsaid reservoir partially immersed in said liqud; conduit means disposedbelow the liquid level v forming communicatio and said reservoir wherebyliquid normally fills said chamber to the n reservoir, said conduitbetween said chambery liquid level within the eans comprising a.plurality of tubesopening into said chamber at the same level, one ofsaid tubes being substantially straight and projecting downwardly fromthe chamber into the reservoir, another oi.' said tubes being a U-tube.and having its bent portion at a level above the reservoir end ofsaid'straight tube.

and its reservoir communicating end disposed at a lower level than' itsclimber communicating end, a gas conduit communicating with saidreservoir above said liquid level, and a gas conduit communicating withsaid chamber above said liq 6. A` reversible operating gas meteringdevice comprising an outer chamber and an inner chamber. said outerchamber comm cating to the point oi delivery from the meter, the inner.'

chamber communicating directly to the point of gas Supply. said innerchamber having two vertical tubes extending downwardly from thelowerportion thereof, one of said tubes being of relatively larger and the-other of said tubes being a capillaryftubersaid capillary tube beingbeni lupwiircuy u form a vu-tube. the ubend of said tube beinglocatedabove .the mouth oi the tube of larger dianeter, the external.mouth of said U-tubebeing located belowA the internal mouth ot saidU-tube, liquid enclosed withinsaid outer chamber and extending upwardlyinto'said chamber to,a level above the external opening of theU-tube ofthe 7. A gas metering lwparatus comprising. an intakev chamber, a gassupply conduit leading to i the supply chamber adjacent the-top thereof,an

outer chamber surrounding said intake chamber and having a body ofliquid therein, a plurality of downwardly extending tub'es connectingwith said intake chamber, said tubes opening into the interior of saidintake chamber at a point substantially removed from the top thereof,one of said tubes having a relatively constricted passage, said tubebeing bent upwardly and having a mouth communicating with the outerchamber, another of said tubes being of relatively large diameter andhaving an open mouth adjacent its lower end, said mouth being located ata distance below the upward bend of said first named tube, the liquid inthe outer chamber being of a height sufficient to normally immerse themouth portions of said tubes, the volume of said intake chamber abovesaid tubes being sufiicient with respect to the volume of liquid in theouter chamber to accommodate all of the liquid which can be forced outof the outer chamberV into the intake chamber by a relatively highpressure in the outer chamber without passing liquid through saidsupplyconduit whereby to permit reverse operation of the metering devicefor metering purposes, and. to prevent the said liquid from passingthrough said supply conduit. 4

8. A gu metering device comprisingV a reservoir, said reservoir beingpartially lled with liquid, means forming a gas-tightchamberwithm saidreservoir partially immersed in said liquid, conduit means disposedbelow the liquid level forming communication between'said chamberandsaid reservoir whereby liquid normally iills said chamber to the normalliquid level within the reservoir, said conduit means comprising aplurality of tubes opening into said chamber adja-l cent the bottomthereof', one of said tubes being substantially straight and projectingdownwardervoir to accommodate all of the liquid which can be forced fromthe reservoir into the said chamber by a relatively high reversepressure inthe reservoir whereby to permit reverse operation of themetering' device and to prevent saidliquid from being regurgitatedthrough said gas supply coliduit.

Roy BLAIR

